Bundles of fibers useful for moving liquids at high fluxes and acquisition/distribution structures that use the bundles

Abstract

The ability to transport body liquids in consumer products such as diapers, incontinents and feminine napkins is a key factor in their performance. This invention is designed to provide specific high fluxes (volume of liquid/(time*mass of polymer) of aqueous liquids in designated directions using bundles of new specially designed fibers. The key factors for the bundles are a high specific adhesion for the liquid of interest, a high specific volume of the bundle itself, and alignment of the fibers within the bundle. The invention includes novel liquid acquisition/distribution systems and absorbent products that include a liquid acquisition/distribution system which may incorporate the novel bundles of fibers.

What is claimed as new and useful is:  
     
       1. An absorbent article having a major axis, a minor axis and a length in excess of a width and said article comprises a top sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent core; said absorbent core comprises at least one absorbent layer; and with the improvement of said article comprising a bundle of synthetic fibers between said top sheet and said back sheet; wherein said bundle of synthetic fibers comprises at least two fibers in a bundle, at least one of said two fibers having a non-round cross-section and a Single Fiber Bulk Factor greater than 4.0 and said bundle having 
       (A) a Specific Volume greater than 4.0 cc/gm,  
       (B) a MPF B /MPF SF  greater than or equal to 3.0,  
       (C) a MPF B  greater than or equal to 0.14 cc/(den*hr).